Match-box.



No. 775,071. PATENTED NOV. 15, 1904.

G. W. TOWNSEND.

MATCH BOX.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 2, 1904.

N0 MODEL.

WITNESSES NVENTOR. %1 -W YZwnsenJ.

' BYZ ATTORNEY UNITED STATES Patented November 15, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

CORT W. TOIVNSEND, OF NEW PHILADELPHIA, OHIO, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- FOURTH TO CHARLES H. TOWVNSEND, OF NEWV PHILADELPHIA, OHIO.

MATCH-BOX.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 775,071, dated November 15, 1904.

Application filed August 2, 1904. Serial No. 219,160. (No model.)

To It whmn it may concern..-

Be it known that LOoRTWTowNsEND citi- Zen of the United States, residing at New Philadelphia, in the county of Tuscarawas and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Match-Boxes; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawings. making a part of IO this specification, and to the figures of reference marked thereon, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of the box. Fig. 2 is a section on line 2 2, Fig. 4. Fig. 3 is a sectional perspective view showing a portion of the frame and a portion of the hinged match-receptacle. Fig. 1 is a front view showing the cover removed. Fig. 5 is a vertical section on line 1 4, Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a view showing a portion of the top of the frame and illustrating a portion of the match-receptacle and its catch. Fig. 7 is a detached view of the match-picker.

The present invention has relation to matchboxes designed to deliver a single match at a time; and it consists in the novel construction hereinafter described, and particularly point: ed out in the claim.

Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures of the drawings.

In the accompanying drawings, 1 represents the case or frame, which is preferably rectangular and of any convenient size, which frame or casing is closed at its front side by 3 5 means of the lid 2, which lid is slidably connected to the frame.

\Vithin the casing 1 is located the match-receptacle 3, which match-receptacle is formed of a size to hold a number of matches. The

4 receptacle is provided at its bottom or lower end with the bead L, which bead is located around the rod 5, which rod is connected in any convenient and well-known manner to the casing 1 at its end.

4 5 The match-receptacle 3 is providedwith the inclined extension 6, which inclined extension is for the purpose of receiving the matches and at the same time providing a means for the matches to find their way directly under the device for removing the matches or, in other 5 words, to allow the matches to fall by gravity from time to time until all of the matches in the receptacle are removed, as hereinafter described.

To one side of the frame or casing 1 is attached the bracket 7, to which bracket'is pivotally attached the lever 8, which lever is extended through the slot 9 and is provided with the operating-knob 10. Below the free end of the lever 8 and upon the inner face of the casing l is attached the bracket 11, to which bracket is pivotally attached the link 12, which link is pivotally connected to the lever 8, and for the purpose of allowing the link 12 to assume the position illustrated by dotted 5 lines in Fig. et when the lever 8 is brought into the position illustrated by dotted lines the lever 8 is provided with the slot 13 and the connecting-rivet 11 located through the slot, as illustrated in Fig. 4:. To the free end 7 of the link 12 is pivotally attached the pickerbar 15, which picker-bar is provided with the pickers 16, which pickers are curved from each other and are so arranged that when the picker bar together with the pickers are pressed downward they will grasp a single match, as illustrated in Fig. 7.

Above the match-receptacle extension 6 is located a match-deflecting plate 17, which match-deflecting plate is pivotally attached to the rod 18, which rod is connected in any convenient and well-known manner to the sides of the casing 1. The deflecting-plate 17 is provided with the arm 19, to which arm is attached the weight 20. 5

For the purpose of normally holding the deflecting-plate in the position illustrated in Fig. 5 the cord or wire 21 is provided, the lower end of which is attached to the deflecting-plate 17 and the upper end to the lever 8. 9 When the lever 8 is pressed downward, the cord or wire 21 will be slackened, thereby allowing the deflecting-plate to turn upon its hinges, and for the purpose of insuring the proper action of the deflecting-plate the arm 19 and the weight 20 are provided. It will be understood that after the deflecting-plate has been turned downward upon its hinges it will be out of the path of the downward movement of the picker-bar 15 and pickers 16, thereby allowing the pickers to move clownward without interruption. Upon the upward movement of the picker-bar the deflecting-plate 17 will be moved upward by the cord 21, and when said picker-bar together with the pickers have fully passed said deflectingplate it is free to be brought into the position illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5, and by the con tinued upward movement of the picker-bar the matches will strike the plates 22, which removes the matches and allows them to drop upon the plate 17 and from thence downward and upon the inclined ledge 23 and into the trough 24, a slot or opening being formed in the slide 2 for the purpose of allowing the matches to find their way to the trough 2a.

For the purpose of determining the number of matches in the receptacle the back of said receptacle is provided with the slot 26. The front or forward portion of the match-receptacle 3 is provided with the slide 27, which is for the purpose of closing the receptacle and preventing any accidental displacement of the matches.

For the purpose of holding the match-receptacle 3 in proper relative position the catch 28 is provided, which catch engages a recess formed in the upper portion of the frame or casing 1, said catch being pivotally connected to the back of the match-receptacle 3.

For the purpose of providing a means for easily moving the lever 8 downward the fixed plate 29 is provided and is located directly below the knob 10 and within easy reach of the thumb or finger, so that the thumb or one finger can be placed under the plate 29 and a thumb or finger placed upon the top of the knob 10, which provides a handy way for operating the device.

For the purpose of automatically lifting the lever 8,together with the different parts moved by the lever, the spring 30 is provided, one end of said spring being attached to the case 1 or its equivalent and the other end attached to the lever 8.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

In a match-box of the class described, the combination of a casing, provided with a match-receptacle having a trough-like lower portion, a lever provided with an operating knob, said lever pivoted to the casing, a link pivoted at one end, and pivotally connected to the lever, a picker-bar pivotally attached to the link and provided with pickers, a pivoted deflecting-plate located in the path of the picker-bar, and provided with a weighted arm, a cord secured to the deflecting-plate and to the operating-lever, and a spring adapted to elevate the operating-lever when released, and a trough extended beyond the casing having an inclinedback extended into the casing, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

In testimony that I claim the above I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presence of two witnesses.

CORT W. TOWNSEND Witnesses:

J. A. JEFFERs, F. W. BOND. 

